Planetary Science

A battle for the future of American stargazing is about to begin—and the stakes are sky high

Using data from the OSIRIS-REx mission, scientists calculated slightly increased (but still low) odds the space rock will collide with our planet in the 2100s

After an alarming failure, the rover is set to continue its mission to retrieve specimens for eventual return to Earth

Mineral deposits, not salty water, are the most likely cause of radar reflections spotted beneath the planet’s south pole, a new study finds

They’re not quite stars and not quite planets but can help us understand both

Scientists are using football-field-sized lasers, warehouse-sized electromagnets and other immense facilities to reveal the deep secrets of planetary interiors

Despite the best efforts of scientists eager to study Earth’s sister world, U.S. efforts to send a dedicated spacecraft to Venus languished—until NASA made a surprising announcement

The author of a new book reveals the hidden human history of NASA’s in-development Europa Clipper mission

Astronomers are hunting for the first moon around a planet beyond our solar system

The candidate could be a “warm Neptune” or a mirage. Either way, it signals the dawn of a revolution in astronomy